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John Cho Explains Why Star Trek 4 Needs To Happen

Ever since the news dropped back in August that Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth have pulled out of Star Trek 4 due to salary disputes, the S.J. Clarkson-helmed flick has been in a state of uncertainty, with neither Paramount Pictures nor the franchise’s regular cast having much to report in recent months.

But while John Cho is no exception, the actor is steadfast in his opinion that the project should happen, pleading his case in an interview with The Playlist:

“I think its an important part of American popular culture that speaks to America’s best impulses and I think that there will always be a place for Star Trek films and I just hope to be in it and there isn’t another totally different group of people! I’m bullish about it, and honestly, for personal reasons I suppose the last film has a cloud over it, losing Anton [Yelchin] after the last one and for me it would be important personally to make one more at least. I think it would alleviate that part of us a little bit to make at least one more.”

As it stands, the Star Trek property is set to prolong its presence in pop culture by way of the small screen, with Patrick Stewart’s show reportedly heading for a 2019 launch and Star Trek: Discovery scheduled to return to CBS All Access on January 17th.

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The movies, however, are another matter, and from the sound of things, we’re unlikely to get any confirmation either way on Star Trek 4 until the situation with Pine is resolved. A few months ago, the actor himself said he’d “love to be involved,” though the relative lack of news since then suggests that he and the studio have yet to work out their disagreements. Meanwhile, the likes of producer Adi Shankar have tried arguing that the series doesn’t need a James T. Kirk to keep going, but it’s clear that there are a lot of fans out there who’d disagree.

Regardless, while Cho admitted in the same interview that he has no updates to offer, he also mentioned that he’s “optimistic there will be another one” because he’s “optimistic about what Star Trek says and its place in our culture.” It’s clear that not everyone shares in his optimism right now, but here’s hoping we won’t have too much longer to wait before we get some official news on the matter.